The present invention is related to combined freestanding fireplaces and room heaters that utilize a forced air arrangement for efficiently distributing the heat produced by the unit throughout the surrounding atmosphere.
Fireplaces have long been a source of enjoyment but are very inefficient means of heating an associated room. This characteristic is true both of the permanent built-in fireplace units and the modern freestanding fireplaces. Fixed or stationary fireplaces are probably the most inefficient room heaters since heat from the fire generally can only be projected toward the forward opening thereof. With freestanding fireplaces, the heat may radiate from all sides of the fireplace body. There is still inefficiency because the units generally do not have provision for directing the heated air away from the fireplace body. Instead, it rises to the ceiling and heats only the area directly above the unit itself. Of course the heat will spread gradually throughout the room but by the time the far corners of the room are heated, the area immediately adjacent to the fireplace is usually too hot.
Another problem associated with freestanding fireplaces, especially those having glass door closures, is that the glass doors often become coated with soot and ashes from the fire and must be frequently cleaned. This is a tedious and obviously messy job.
There are forms of fireplace units that are more or less effective in forcing heated air from the fireplace outwardly into the associated room. However, these units are usually bulky and very uncomely.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,171,399 to W. B. Kirgan granted Mar. 2, 1965 discloses a furnace type space heater wherein the area surrounding the firebox is utilized as a plenum chamber. It heats air as it moves downwardly from an intake adjacent the upper surface of the heater to a discharge at a bottom side of the heater. The heater makes use of a blower unit to draw the air through the plenum chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,178,854 to H. C. Keeler granted Apr. 11, 1916 discloses a portable fireplace. This fireplace unit is comprised of a sheet metal formed firebox with a plurality of doors on a front surface of the firebox that are hinged to allow folding of the doors completely away from the front of the fireplace leaving an open fire chamber. The unit includes an inclined deflector above the fire area that deflects smoke forward and subsequently upward and back horizontally to a chimney pipe. This somewhat resembles the smoke trap of ordinary permanent type fireplaces. There is no provision for forcing air over the heated outside surfaces of the unit. The bottom and back sides of the fireplace unit are insulated.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,944,626 to E. A. Allbert granted Jan. 23, 1934 discloses a combined heater and fireplace. This is a freestanding unit that includes a double door arrangement. A first, outer door, is formed of sheet metal and is retractable to a stored position above the firebox. When the outer door is in this position an inner, glass door is exposed to allow relatively full view of the fire within. There is no provision for circulating the air outside the firebox, nor is there any special provision for keeping the glass viewing pane clean and protected from soot and ashes from the fire within.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,808,823 to W. J. Snyder et al granted Oct. 8, 1957 discloses a space heater. Again, this unit is intended primarily as a furnace (like the Kirgan heater). A fan unit is attached at the rear of the heater to direct air inwardly and upward over an enclosed firebox. Since the firebox is completely enclosed within a sheet metal housing except for a louvered area at the top, the heated air is allowed to move only in an upward and outward direction. This unit is provided in the form of a stove or furnace arrangement wherein the fire chamber is completely enclosed and is not visible from the outside when the firebox door is in a closed position.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a freestanding fireplace and room heater combination that is both pleasing in appearance and is a highly functional heating unit.
A further object is to provide such a combined heating and freestanding fireplace unit that includes a removable glass pane in the door structure with draft means associated therewith for continuously cleaning or preventing build-up of material on the inside surface of the glass when the unit is in operation.
Another object is to provide such a fireplace and heating unit that includes a door structure that may be moved completely out of the way of the forward opening in order to provide free access to the firebox interior.
Another object is to provide such a fireplace and heating unit wherein the glass pane is interchangeable with a metal panel so the unit can be converted from a decorative fireplace to a fully functional stove.
A still further object is to provide a fireplace and heating unit wherein air may be forced across the outside radiating surfaces of the fireplace unit in order to quickly heat an associated room.
These and still further objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description which, taken with the accompanying drawings, disclose a preferred form of my invention. However, it is to be noted that the drawings and following description merely set forth an example of a preferred form of my invention and by no means are intended to restrict the scope of my invention to the particular details shown herein. Only the claims to be found at the end of this specification set forth the scope of what I claim to be my invention.